Parakram Diwas: 128th birth anniversary of Netaji; what this means for India and Indians

Since 2021, January 23, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary, has been observed as Parakram Diwas, or the Day of Valour
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose epitomised courage, grit: PM Modi on Parakram Diwas
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose epitomised courage, grit: PM Modi on Parakram Diwas(ANI Photo)
Published on

Today, January 23, is observed as Parakram Diwas. In 2021, the government announced that January 23 would be observed as Parakram Diwas to pay tribute to Netaji's relentless pursuit of India's freedom. 

Since 2021, January 23, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary, has been observed as Parakram Diwas, or the Day of Valour. The government decided to celebrate Parakram Diwas to inspire the people of the country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the face of adversities as Netaji did and to infuse them with a spirit of patriotic fervour. This year marks Netaji’s 128th birth anniversary, according to a report by The Indian Express.

Series of events 
- In 2021, the inaugural event took place at Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata
- In 2022, a hologram statue of Netaji was unveiled at India Gate
- In 2023, 21 unnamed islands in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra Awardees
- In 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event at the historic Red Fort in Delhi, the site of the INA (Indian National Army) trials

Let's go back in time and recall Netaji's contributions to the freedom movement. 

Born to an upper-class Bengali family in 1897 in Cuttack, Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth child of Janakinath and Prabhavati Bose. In 1909, he moved to Ravenshaw Collegiate School, where he completed his secondary education. After school, he entered the Presidency College in Calcutta in 1913, where he studied philosophy.

INA and Bose
The INA was formed on February 17, 1942, two days after the British surrendered to Japanese forces in Singapore. It mostly comprised Indian prisoners of war (PoWs) captured by the Japanese during their Southeast Asia campaign.

Following this, Bose arrived in Singapore in July 1943 and took charge of the 12,000-strong INA on July 4. For an enslaved people, there can be no greater pride, no higher honour, than to be the first soldier in the army of liberation, he told his troops the next morning. He immediately rejuvenated the army.

Further, he gave the call of Delhi Chalo to INA to march on Delhi and liberate India from British rule. The INA crossed the Indo-Burma border and marched towards Imphal and Kohima in March 1944. The Chalo Delhi campaign ended at Imphal.

By 1945, the British had launched their own campaign to retake Burma, and the INA once again found itself in retreat. After the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, the war came to an end.

Bose wanted to stay with his troops for the surrender but was persuaded to leave by his subordinates. He died in a plane crash three days later, the report by The Indian Express stated.

Related Stories

No stories found.
X
logo
EdexLive
www.edexlive.com